Tortie Mews

Angel's 14th Birthday

2011-09-01T19:37:00.000-04:00

Foodie

2011-03-18T16:15:00.000-04:00

Even I have standards. Organix turkey and salmon is nasty. I've had all sorts of food lately but that is one food I will not eat.

Happy Birthday to Meeeee!

2011-02-12T21:00:00.000-05:00

Today is my birthday. Four years ago today, Siamese Rescue freed me from a kill shelter. Mommy says it was my second chance--a rebirth, if you will. I got a Slim Cat ball and my favorite coils for my birthday. Daddy promised me a super duper cat tree too, once the price drops on Amazon. Overall I had a good day. Mom fixed the sofa and blanket the way I like it so I could nap in the sun. Mommy and Daddy played with me this morning! I also got a bit more food than usual. I keep hearing "pie", so there seems to be a delicious treat in my future.

sNOOOOOw

2010-12-13T08:01:00.000-05:00

Meowmy says no matter what, I am her sunshine. She says I make her smile because I am so cute.

Cliches

2010-11-14T16:05:00.000-05:00

You know how they say Separation makes the heart grow fonder and Don't know what you've got til it's gone? Well, apparently those are very true. I spent most of the day in my room, locked up like a prisoner. I didn't mind too much since I napped in my makeshift cave.

Mom put me in my room this morning so Davis could hang out with them for a bit. Except that Mr. Crybaby refused to go back to his room so I had to stay in my room all day. They didn't want to force him upstairs since he feels compelled to hide when I am around. Apparently it's only fair that Davis gets to roam the house if he feels like it and I experience being cooped up in my room all day. He finally went to his room to have a late afternoon kibble snack and now I am out.

Meowmy missed me a lot! She was so happy to see me. I think she is much more appreciative of me now. Mom said nobody followed her around or helped her bake cookies. I love being mommy's shadow and I guess she does too!

Howl-days

2010-11-01T19:58:00.000-04:00

Meowmy says I am meaty. I am the smallest but weigh the most. Do computer wires and cardboard have calories? I thought only meat did. Daddy is showing good training potential. He's finally learning that my bedtime means lights out for everyone in my room. I sit at the door and cry until he gives up and leaves. Hee hee

In other mews, Christmas is coming. I expect Santa Claws to bring me something good this year. They are talking about an electric fence. Daddy said I am so stubborn I will probably run through it. Meowmy is trying to convince him to get me my own sofa.

2010-10-14T18:56:00.000-04:00

Meowmy is slowly switching us to a raw diet. Mmmmm...turkey. I like it because it costs more money. :) Angel and I are cleaning our plates nicely. Dummy Davis has the sniffles again so he's not eating as much. In other mews, I have lots of Da Bird feathers waiting for me. Mommy bought two dozen. I like her. She is so trainable!

Singing the Blues

2010-10-05T20:06:00.000-04:00

Owwwww...I'm in timeout...owwwww... Meowmy seems to be ignoring my soulful cries. I didn't even DO anything! I went into Davis' room and made him scream. How come I get in trouble when he's the one who screamed? I think this means I won't be getting any treats tonight. This morning, she put me on the floor after she got tired of my begging and jostling for her breakfast. That woman is getting meaner every day!

Mommy calls me PIT--Princess-in-Training. She and Daddy think I am becoming a diva. They have no idea what's coming...

Weekend Mews

2010-10-03T16:06:00.000-04:00

Today is St. Francis of Assisi's feast day. Since our church is named for the patron saint of animals, it has an annual blessing of the animals. Mommy wanted to get me blessed. Pah! Good thing the schedule wasn't right. I heard dogs and horses go. All the more reason for me not to.

It's been a boring weekend. Mommy shared her waffles with me this morning. I got yelled at for chewing wires. Those humans know the rules: don't leave anything that they don't want damaged unattended. Simple, no? Daddy's going to start yelling at the tv in a few minutes, so I better make myself scarce.

New Regime

2010-10-02T07:23:00.004-04:00

Hiya! Meowmy has relinquished her blog to me...one step closer to world domination, heh heh heh. My name is Cara. I am four years old. I can't wait to share all my thoughts with you. Mommy's only rule is I have to keep that stupid picture of George up. Everything else will change when I get a chance. I hope you enjoy reading my blog and visit often!

Oh, and so you don't think I'm some little push-over, here's what my teeth look like:

Dumb and Dumber

2010-09-30T18:33:00.003-04:00

Dumbfuck left a voice mail. Somebody had a question about their service contract with us. She couldn't explain the difference between a subcontract and consultant agreement. Oh, did I mention she is a business/contracts manager? I guess when you shake your ass and show cleavage to married men (despite being married herself) you can get away with being stupid and not knowing any aspect of your job after TWO YEARS. Apparently that big melon head has no brains in it.

But incompetence reigns. Voldemort is as pathetic as ever. Once, she lamented that she wished she could go on vacation for three weeks. Malfoy said she could, if she was willing to let me handle the work in her absence. She promptly dropped the subject and never brought it up again. How insecure must one be to not allow others to pick up the slack? I mean, cross-training others means being able to go on vacation for weeks at a time!! Hilarious, really. What a loser. Maybe that's why Voldemort still mow neighbors' lawns.

In other news...thinking I should let Cara take over this blog. Lots of good and happy things going on. Guess you'll have to contact me if you want to know. Heh.

Die, Witch, DIE

2010-08-24T18:33:00.002-04:00

One more reason why if given a choice, I will save an animal and not a human. I hope the bitch gets what's coming to her. May she live in fear despite the police protection.

Papa Grizzly

2010-08-23T14:15:00.002-04:00

Haven't felt like sharing much, as you can tell. Papa Grizzly has made my wish come true. I'm getting a baby girl! YAY!!! I already have the cutest little boy, Elliott...and he is beyond precious. I love my little dumpling. And now I will have a girl!!

It's been rough lately but I am pleasantly surprised by the kindness from relative strangers. It's been eye-opening and helped me re-evaluate things. Life is too short to be stuck with things/people that suck.

Ed and Me

2009-10-10T20:03:00.004-04:00

I met Ed Begley, Jr. today, totally by accident. QE and I went to the Green Festival and had a great time. Definitely worth the effort. We left around 2:00 p.m. and took a break before heading home. Looking over my loot, I realized that my free t-shirt would probably be too small. We decided to head back to the festival for an exchange. As we were just about to walk into the exhibition hall, I saw him. Could it be?? No way! Yup, it was definitely him. He was registering at the Speakers' table while I snapped a few pics. As he left the table, I spoke to him. He was so nice!!! He shook both our hands and I asked if we could take a few pics together. QE snapped two. Apparently I totally nerded out in the first shot. omg...I looked way too excited and giddy. The second one was perfect. Ed is incredibly tall. He was so nice!!!! Oh Ed...

We also met farmers from Organic Valley. It was so heartwarming to hear that they really do let the cows graze year-round except when there's snow on the ground. The chickens also get to free roam outside weather permitting. The farmer we spoke to was awesome. He was from NY, around Cooperstown.

At a booth representing multiple brands, I saw a Nature's Path cereal we love. "Honey, that's Cara's favorite cereal! She loves this one!!" The guy heard me and asked what Cara liked most about it. I sheepishly told him Cara was our cat and that she loves the flakes. Cara likes to stick her face into my bowl and eat the flakes one at a time. They asked if I wanted to share what we loved about Nature's Path on video. tee hee

Give a Little Bit (please?)

2009-08-14T13:55:00.002-04:00

If you can give, please do so. Trooper was found in a dumpster, in a garbage bag tightly taped, left for dead. She managed to rip a hole in the bag so she could breathe.

Trooper's story

Loot!

2009-08-03T19:33:00.007-04:00

Terrell Owens had four TDs on 11/18/07...against the Washington Redskins. LMAO

The yarn is much prettier and brighter in person. I quickly snapped a few shots for Ravelry. No lovefest yet. I squealed into the receptionist's ear when he called to say I had a package.

Food, Inc.

2009-07-25T18:17:00.002-04:00

Really good movie. It didn't present anything I didn't already know, but it's very different seeing it than reading it. I am glad to be vegetarian. If nothing else, it makes life so much simpler from not having to worry about meat handling and cooking. The meat industry is...cruel. The companies don't care about the workers any more than they do the animals. The Smithfield story was disgusting and appalling.

One thing that did shock me is all the sell-outs in the "natural" market. Tom's of Maine got bought by Colgate. Stonyfield Farm is now owned by the Dannon people. Kashi is Kelloggs. I already knew Morningstar, Boca, Jason, Eden, a few others were owned by The Man. Does it matter if the acquired company maintains its core values and missions? I don't know. Most small companies aspire to eventually sell and cash in for their hard work, as they should.

The truth is, we can't avoid the conglomerates. Monsanto IS soybeans. Most chicken, cow and pig farmers are contract farmers to Tysons, Perdue, Smithfield, etc. One farmer lost her contract with Perdue because she refused to transition to the new windowless tunnel housing for chickens. She wanted to keep her sheds with windows. I personally think it was an excuse. She lost her contract because she agreed to let cameras inside the chicken houses. Tysons visited one farmer in KY who originally agreed and after several visits from Tysons, "changed his mind".

Potential

2009-07-22T09:22:00.003-04:00

QE and I were talking about Buddy's progress and how sweet he can be now. Davis has gotten really attached to me and I always think about our first meeting at the shelter. He snuggled into my arms, looked me in the eye, and purred. Then he nipped QE for playing with his jacket zipper. QE still playfully holds a grudge against our boy.

As we were talking, QE said we adopted Davis because there was immense pressure to do so. He took the nip as an indicator of what Buddy's personality might be, but overlooked it because he knew our boy would get put down if we didn't adopt him. Yes, I felt the pressure and angst too, but I fell in love with Davis' photo on Petfinder.com before we even met. Our boy had already been at the shelter for two weeks and developed a cold. My inquiry saved him. I had no idea.

All I knew was that there was a cute gray face that needed kisses. QE saved a life with his decision to adopt. To think there are millions of cats and dogs who did nothing wrong but were condemned to death due to human selfishness.

Happy Birthday, Darling!

2009-06-25T13:34:00.002-04:00

I love you George! I will be the one who loves you til the end of time. (sorry, couldn't resist)

For the past few weeks, QE has been rolling his eyes and grunting every time I quizzed him on George's bday. "We've been together for so long, how could I NOT know when it is???" I told my dad today is George's birthday and he smiled. "He's a singer. You used to love him."

Happy birthday, darling.

Calorie-Free

2009-06-17T15:20:00.000-04:00

Desserts

Rations

2009-06-16T16:43:00.003-04:00

Transparent tape is not kept in the supply cabinet. The old lady in AP keeps it hidden in her office. Pens are also doled out upon request. The cabinet is specifically for our department, so I'm not sure why these items are kept under lock and key. If she likes you, you get the "good" rollerball or gel pens. Otherwise it's the cheap Bic Stics.

Where Sheldon Shops

2009-06-08T11:43:00.003-04:00

www.thinkgeek.com

Finding a Unicorn

2009-05-07T08:02:00.001-04:00

Cara purred for me last night. It was her first purr this year. I am smitten with my kitten.

Look what I can do!!

2009-04-11T19:36:00.005-04:00

Ok, I know I am a dork, but I am extremely proud of myself for having figured out 1) how to convert my huge video file into a tidy 7MB (thanks Em for pointing me to iMovie!) 2) how to upload it all by myself! It's a bit grainy but at least I get to share. :)

Warm and Fuzzy...Belly

2009-04-08T13:22:00.002-04:00

I had the honor of interviewing the most perfect adoption applicant a few weeks back. T is such a nice lady. Just a good, decent human being. She took her kitty home on Sunday and we had our follow-up call today. She referred to her new kitty as her daughter. :) T gave a declawed kitty with special needs a loving, permanent home. It's very apparent that T's love is unconditional. If only more people were like T. Meeting people like her is the best "paycheck" volunteers like me could ever get.

Gyah!

2009-04-04T18:20:00.003-04:00

Anyone know how to reduce a file size? Specifically, a video recorded by my camera. The video is 300MB+ so I can't upload it to Flickr or here. Don't have QuickTime Pro. The file extension is AVI. This blows monkey chunks.

In the event someone can help a clueless techno idiot, here's my thanks: I finished my Hey Teach. I can't figure out why the empire waist is so high since the back looks fine. (oh hush, I know it's saggy boobs...)

Jello Buffet

2009-03-24T11:22:00.003-04:00

The geriatric ward is abuzz. Our office is moving/consolidating with the other office. We knew it was going to happen within the next 14 months. Exact timeline is still tbd but the office is already filled with panic and excitement.

Happy Joy

2009-03-20T15:56:00.004-04:00

Cara's lost about half a pound. Yay! I am so glad "strangers" got to experience the tortitude Cara inflicts on me daily. She growled while the vet listened to her heart and lungs. Yup, fully functioning and as fiery as ever. When the doctor opened Cara's mouth to inspect her teeth, my darling baby spat a big hiss. Doc thanked Cara for showing her teeth and said they looked great.

In other news, the White House is getting a vegetable garden!!! The 1,100 square-foot garden will have 55 varieties of vegetables!

Terrible Twos

2009-03-11T13:24:00.003-04:00

We celebrate two years with Cara today! She's not celebrating though. Cara grumbled all morning about how she is subjected to stupid humans and idiotic cats who don't understand her.

We absolutely adore our little baby. Cara is such a cutie when she allows herself to be loved. I think deep down inside, Cara loves me back. She is the rebellious teenager who is angry with the world. That's ok. I'll take her cattitude as long as she doesn't become a teenage mother or get arrested. HA!

Meowmy and Me

2009-03-08T12:50:00.002-04:00

I ran out of yarn so Angel's sweater isn't as nice or shaped as I wanted it to be. She wore it without protest despite it not fitting properly. What a little trooper.

Fitted Knit

2009-03-03T19:38:00.003-05:00

Here's my most recent project. I think it turned out quite nicely. It was finished the first time on Friday and officially finished on Sunday. What a difference 8 rows made! I haven't knitted since Sunday morning. I am incredibly restless.

Eight is Great

2009-02-26T09:06:00.002-05:00

Wow. Where to even begin. We brought Angel home eight years ago today. I can't believe it's already been eight years! Angel is the most perfect cat ever. She is so patient, loving and sweet. She taught us how to be good cat parents and endured lots of suffering before we wised up about her medical needs. Maybe that's why I don't mind pampering her now. Words can't even begin to describe my adoration, admiration and fondness for my little best friend.

Better Days

2009-02-06T07:28:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to my little Cara! Two years ago today, Cara was turned into a high-kill shelter. On February 12, 2007, Siamese Rescue saved her. I think today is indeed a birthday of sorts for Cara. It was the beginning of a new chapter in Cara's life. She was freed from the horrible human(s) who gave her up. No reason or explanation given. Well, she is our little bundle of joy now. We cherish and celebrate her every day. Cara is such a delight. I think she secretly loves me back.

Cara is so intelligent it is ridiculous. The worst part is that she knows she is smart. She can actually process logic in her brain. If I hide a wand toy under a towel, she will wait for it to emerge on the other side. Just last week, she managed to unscrew the cap to the brand new container of treats. And ate them all. That was a $12.99 container of treats that was supposed to last a month. Our little one is simply amazing. I still need to share a video of her eating treats. It quenched all of my motherly nursing and nesting desires. Cara is so adorable when she's not mean.

Here are two photos showing how Cara's coloring has changed significantly. The second one was taken in October. She has actually gotten even darker since then. We think Cara is in her rebellious teenage goth phase.

Knitter's Block

2009-02-04T20:23:00.003-05:00

I have not knitted since Saturday. I am going crazy. Waiting for yarn to arrive in the mail. Maybe I should start a small project. Although I hate having WIPs laying around. This sucks. I feel so lost.

I've also decided that I won't take my knitting to Paris. Don't want to risk having my needles and tools confiscated. Plus, I don't want to feel the urge to knit while in Paris. Oh, the Jardins des Tuileries would be an awesome place to knit, too!

Next project is a vest for me. I should have enough leftovers to make Angel a vest too.

Souvenir

2009-01-28T13:20:00.002-05:00

I cut myself on Inauguration Day. This was three days later. Dad didn't let on at the time, but he said it was pretty deep. I'll spare the bloody details. Having experienced his share of bad cuts, dad said to keep it dry for at least 2 days. I usually change the bandage if it gets wet, but I do allow wounds to get wet. Sure enough, dad's method worked. I was very surprised at how quickly my finger healed. I wasn't expecting this stage of healing for at least 5-7 days.

Kitties 1, Humans 0

2009-01-24T17:36:00.002-05:00

Ever since my parents found out the kitties were going to the pet resort while we're in Paris, they have been lobbying hard to "save" the grandbabies. They started with comments about saving money and sending the cats to their house instead. Realizing cost is never an issue when it comes to our precious kitties, they tried to appeal to our hearts. Last time, my parents visited our kids at the resort. --Oh, you should have seen them! They looked so sad! Angel recognized us but was still miserable! It's still cages no matter how big! Please don't send them back there!

There have been multiple phone calls from both parents (tag team!) pleading their case, begging us not to take the kitties there. It's a very nice place. The people love their guests. Today, I asked dad why they are so insistent about not taking our babies there. He said the resort is nice and they don't mistreat the animals, but it's not the same as being at home. Cats are living beings and have feelings too(!!). They were very sad last time and my parents don't want to see them like that again. Oh my. My parents love our kitties. This is awesome!

My mom is taking time off work(!) to babysit our cats. It was her idea. Dad fully supports it. She plans on staying at our house while we are away. This is nuts. I can't believe my parents would do that for our kitties. It's very sweet and I am deeply touched they love our kids as much as we do.

Masterpiece

2009-01-17T19:27:00.003-05:00

Yeah, I know. QE is the true masterpiece in the photo. Or maybe he's just a piece of work. hahaha This is the sweater I've been working on for months. Since October 31, to be exact. I think it turned out great. Better than I expected, actually. We started with a pattern and modified it very heavily. The measurements are perfect (it's not for QE, so the extra-long sleeves were intentional). Math + gauge = precision. My best work yet!

Everybody Wants to Love Like That

2009-01-16T13:18:00.004-05:00

(Too Funky is on) sigh...what can I say. I don't think a single day has passed where I haven't thought about the concert. I saw him. In person! He still dances the same. His mannerisms are the same. His songs still give me that adrenaline rush. I can SEE him on the stage! It's neat to hear how his voice and songwriting evolved over time.

In case you haven't heard, NKOTB is going to perform on a Ft. Lauderdale-Bahamas cruise the first week in May. I am oddly curious. I wasn't a fan back in the day but now I am just drawn to them. Maybe I'm making up for lost time. I spent all my resources on George back in the day.

I started my Clapotis this morning. I didn't have my tool pouch with me. No row counter, no stitch markers. Desperately rummaging through my bag, I managed to find three short pieces of yarn that I knotted to make temporary SMs. Pathetic, I am. Anyway, I am using Wollmeise(!!!) Twin 80/20 in Poison No.5, which is a purple/black combo. I'm starting to wonder if I should have gone with the Sockenwolle in Wilder Mohn. But it is so bright red that I'm afraid I will look yellow. Gyah. I wish I used the red though. Grass is always greener. I am obsessed with it already. I need to finish it in time for PARIS. Wooooooooo!

I already have enough hours for the week. Thinking about spending the next few hours in my office off the clock, knitting. Have to wait for QE, so I am stuck here. Yes, I must knit. That's more than two precious hours of knitting!

Going to Paris

2009-01-09T09:09:00.001-05:00

QE is taking me to Paris.

Chimp Choc

2009-01-03T07:36:00.003-05:00

I came home Christmas Eve to find clumps of fur in Davis' room. No visible injuries. The white fur belongs to Cara and the gray fuzz is Davis'. What's weird is that Cara doesn't have much white or cream fur anymore. Only a small section on her neck and a patch between her legs.

USA Network had a 24-hour Elf marathon on NYE. I was so excited. It was comforting knowing Elf was on constant loop. And it's so much funnier when I actually pay attention to the details of the movie.

We watched Stepbrothers and now QE will spontaneously crack up over some stupid scene. Boats and Hoes.

2008 was a bad year for most people, methinks. We still have our house and jobs so I guess we're lucky. Angel got her bladder stones removed, Cara got her ass whooped several times including one tail bite, and Davis started staying in his room until his evil sister was tucked in for the night.

Lifting from GP's bff, here's a list. I love lists.

Accomplishments: I managed to keep my job despite having a cloud over my head daily. I made some cute knitted toys.

Best new book read in 2008: Pet Food Politics. Further confirms that the US food supply is not safe and that the government does not care about us.

Worst new book read in 2008: Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck. It was so menopausal I didn't even finish it.

Best book re-read in 2008: Don't re-read books generally.

Worst book re-read in 2008: See above, but couldn't imagine that I would re-read one that I wouldn't enjoy

Best new movie seen in 2008: Dude, I can't remember what I wore yesterday. No way I can remember what came out or what I watched. I saw King Corn, so that can be my favorite since it's the only one I remember.

Worst new movie seen in 2008: Knocked Up. Katherine Heigl is a bitch and ugly to boot. She needs to get over herself. No talent ass clown.

Best decision made in 2008: Didn't walk out on my job, although I daydreamed about it constantly. I contributed to my first and probably last political campaign. I started volunteering.

Worst decision made in 2008: I try not to have regrets. Everything should be a lesson learned. Hearing about all the animal abuses, abandoned kitties and meezers who died was heartbreaking though. I only knew about cats who died and were mourned by their humans. Millions more died alone, scared, and in a shelter.

Best purchase made in 2008: Cat toys that made Cara happy and kept her entertained, Angel's heated bed. Thanks to a Ravelry spoiler, I discovered my favorite chocolate. It's 72% dark choc and proceeds goes to help protect species, environment, etc. The wrapper has chimpanzees on it.

Worst purchase made in 2008: ugly yarn

Best month of 2008: November--Obama won. He gave me hope. Then he decided I was rich and should get a tax increase. Still love him though. Maybe June too, since Wegmans opened. QE and I decided we would hug Danny and his wife if we ever met them.

Worst month of 2008: pick one. They all sucked. How about March. That's when I turned a year older. This year will be worse. Acknowledgments of that horrible day will get you smacked. hahaha

Gift

2008-12-20T06:18:00.003-05:00

Cara purred for me today. Not sure what got into her, but she plopped herself down in front of me as I worked on the computer. In addition to making the screen go nuts will all the tricks her belly does to the keyboard, she purred as I scratched her neck and face. It wasn't like Angel's I-am-so-happy-my-belly-rumbles purr, but it was lovely. Just a tiny hum with minimal rumbling even when I touched her throat. I'll take it. I think this makes it her third purr since we adopted her.

Duh-nce

2008-12-12T10:11:00.002-05:00

Ok, I know I'm not the brightest person in the world, state, or even my county. I have odd random thoughts a lot. Here's a question for you...

Our culture doesn't generally revere older people. They're fine and all but we don't adore them the way, say the Japanese, respect and cherish their seniors. Many of our seniors are essentially put out to pasture in theirs 60s from the workplace, subtly or not. We claim that they aren't as quick thinking or innovative or whatever. True or not, we don't think older workers are as productive or efficient. If that's the case, why do we elect politicians who are often in their 60s and 70s? Wouldn't they be just as slow as Betty in Marketing or Harold in Engineering? I mean, wouldn't Senator Age 72 be just as slow or tired? Is it because Congress isn't really run by the politicians but their staff?

Santa Claws

2008-12-10T20:44:00.005-05:00

(sniff) You stink. You smell like beef and cheese! You don't smell like Santa.

Santa came early this year. Our kids are so spoiled. We won a raffle held by our favorite store, PetSage. I love the knowledgeable staff and how the owner cares about our kitties' well-being and not just her profits. Earlier this year, she removed most of her dry cat food because they didn't meet her standards. She's got a degree in animal nutrition or something like that. Anyway, we won! This picture doesn't show the gift well, but I love Davis' facial expression. More on Flickr. I thought it was a sleigh shaped scratcher but it's not quite that. It was displayed very high up so I didn't get a good view of it. We won't talk about the price sticker on it, eh?

We put up a tree this year (didn't last year bc of travel) and the kids love it. Davis has this ability to be quietly laying down somewhere and quickly slip into the library when he hears the doors open. He's really good at it too. Like her nemesis, Cara loves to chew on the pine needles. Despite them being FAKE. She's much slicker than Davis though. He goes "ooh, tree!" and starts chomping. Cara takes her time. "La la la...I'm just laying her like a good little girl, mom. What? I can sniff the tree if I want." nibble nibble, CHOMP!

Tree Decorating 101

2008-12-09T15:33:00.001-05:00

Oh Christmas tree...

My Special Someone

2008-12-09T11:17:00.003-05:00

I love Bri. :) Pretty much sums it up, eh? Applicable in so many different situations!

I have no idea how she did it, but she found me measuring cups AND spoons made in USA! I'll be placing an order once I figure out how many to buy of each. Gotta share the love, you know. I suddenly feel the urge to hoard...BUT it's really to maximize the cost of shipping.

Thank you Bri!!!!

Christmas Wish

2008-12-06T14:50:00.005-05:00

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." ~Buddy the Elf

My Christmas wish this year is for someone to find me a set of measuring cups or spoons made in USA. That special someone doesn't have to buy them for me--just tell me where I can find such items. Material type unimportant. Cost is no object. They just have to be semi-normal measuring cups or spoons. Not the gaudy ones "as seen on Paula Deen" on Amazon. Mission IMPOSSIBLE.

PSA

2008-12-05T09:24:00.002-05:00

I got this from a group/forum. Not sure of original source. Pretty cat.

Name Calling

2008-11-26T10:00:00.002-05:00

Marion Nestle refers to people like me as pet guardians/parents. Kinda neat. Everyone knows cats aren't owned by anyone. I certainly protect and care for my kids like a guardian or parent though.

I had a CPS note on an adopter application. CPS. Child (or in this case, Cat) Protective Services? Turns out it was from Chief Pooper Scooper aka Director. Wah. I was in tears. I think that will be QE's new title. He can add that to his alphabet soup professional credentials.

BBF

2008-11-20T08:11:00.003-05:00

Six years ago today, I took the day off work to pick up my buddy from the shelter. I got there as soon as it opened because I didn't want my boy to be in there any longer than he had to. My precious boy only cost us $23--feline leukemia test $15, flea treatment $5, collar $3. Talk about the deal of the century! Seriously though, it kinda makes me wonder why anyone would pay $300 to a breeder. We met Davis the weekend before at a public shelter. He was in the sick room because he caught a cold. I held him against my belly. He purred. As we gazed into each other's eyes, I asked if we could be his parents. I told him I wanted to be his mommy. That was the last time I got to hold him without getting smacked or bitten.

His days were already numbered when I contacted the Humane Society about him. Knowing he would probably get put down the weekend of our meeting definitely put pressure on me to adopt him. I don't regret it though. No, Davis is not the perfect cat. He is not normal. I call him special needs, our vet who has a similar cat, calls hers "not very bright" (hahaha). Davis' little heart was broken and he was probably mistreated in his past. He had no reason to trust humans. He didn't know his name when we adopted him. He learned "Davis" in about a week or two, so I don't think his previous humans interacted with him much. It's taken a lot of love and patience for our boy to trust us. What a long journey it's been. So worth it though.

Davis sleeps between my legs in the winter. If I cough excessively, he will walk up to my face and check to see if I am ok. He dashes to greet me when I wake up. He still only purrs and drools for me. That's why we will be best buddies forever.

Cholesterol

2008-11-18T09:44:00.003-05:00

QE's cholesterol dropped more than 60 points. No changes in lifestyle other than me "making" him vegetarian. Pretty cool, eh?

He sometimes eats meat but rarely in my presence. It doesn't bother me if he does, but I do wish he ate good, healthy meat that was treated humanely while living.

Apparently salvaged pet food gets fed to the animals raised for human consumption. If you think about it, it's really gross. Pet food is usually made with beef, chicken or turkey by-products like ears, hooves, beaks, organs, etc--all the stuff that can't be made into hot dogs or sausage. If the pet food is non-saleable, it gets sold to farms (if you can call them that) as food for cows, pigs and chickens. So...these animals are forced to be cannibals. Normally this isn't an issue, except that during the pet food scare last year, some tainted food was fed to animals that were then slaughtered for human consumption.

Panic

2008-11-15T07:17:00.002-05:00

I forgot that chickens molt in the winter (November-March). As of right now, Polyface has NO EGGS available. What am I going to do??? To make matters worse, my dad wants more eggs. I should encourage him to eat good pastured eggs but I can't provide him with any! How am I going to make it until March without eggs?? Our CSA has been providing us with a dozen almost weekly but it's not a steady supply. Meltdown in 3...2...1...

Plot

2008-11-13T18:07:00.001-05:00

http://www.catswhothrowupgrass.com/kill.php

2+0=Bag

2008-11-12T08:54:00.004-05:00

I have a bag fetish of sorts. I don't switch purses to match my outfits or anything, but I am always looking for that perfect tote, work bag, or purse. Timbuk2 has a sale on custom bags so of course I had to buy one. I asked my brother if he wanted to piggyback on my order since shipping would have been the same. Fast forward to last weekend and he busts my chops. "Why do you need another bag when you already have one?" Oh yeah...my moment of glory. "We have TWO incomes and ZERO kids, so I can buy as many bags I want and still spend less in a year than the cost of raising a kid." Oooffa! Got my tightwad bro where it hurt! :) Plus my bags' total value don't even come close to the Louis Vuitton bag his wife carries.

Cara and piglet had a mutual curiosity and fascination with each other. Very cute. The moment he walked into our house, Cara rushed over to inspect him. I held piglet's hand out for her to smell and then he gently touched her. Oh boy. He was so amused by her soft fur. He tried to pursue her so he could touch her again. Little sucker is a FAST crawler! Cara and Angel stayed out of piglet's reach most of the time. Treats weren't worth the possible assault from him.

Green Festival

2008-11-09T07:11:00.003-05:00

We went to the Green Festival yesterday. It was a lot of fun to see all types of products, services, and advocacy groups there. The highlight for me was meeting Dr. Marion Nestle (rhymes with "wrestle") and having her sign my books. As an academic, she doesn't seem to be as warm and fuzzy or as eloquent as Joel Salatin. Dr. Nestle has another book coming out next year about the conflicts of interest veterinarians may have in putting patients on prescription diets. Most of these foods are corn-based, the very ingredient causing ailments in animals, especially cats.

The festival had a great turnout, lots of awesome vendors (and freebies!), and lots of enthusiastic participants. I think my challenge next year will be to go vegan for a week, AND not have my diet consist primarily of processed, pre-packaged vegan food.

Our CSA is going fantabulously. I am enjoying the autumn share much more than summer. All the beautiful squashes, greens, and eggs are just amazing. Just don't put turnip greens in lasagna. We've also gotten different varieties of apples and pears. There's a semi-tart red apple that I really like. It's very crisp and not mealy at all. The skin isn't all red like red delicious. We got another variety that is just cute--perfect little red apples with a good flavor. It's neat to see apples without that waxy, shiny coating on it. I think they taste better too.

sweater

2008-11-03T10:51:00.001-05:00

Stories

2008-10-27T15:05:00.013-04:00

My friends (ode to Darin!), I could not make up stories like this if I tried. Background: My performance appraisal last year consisted of them orally telling me I was doing fine. The department (non)manager nervously told me my bonus and raise without discussion.

In discussing why I wanted a performance appraisal this year, I told the lead Dementor that I wanted feedback on areas of improvement, and for my performance/growth to be documented. I used an example that if I dressed or behaved inappropriately, they would need it documented in case of an eventual termination. He responded with "Please dress inappropriately" and laughed.

Matchmaking

2008-10-24T16:03:00.002-04:00

Well, I helped a meezer find her furever home! We are waiting for the Center to approve the match and I don't expect them to reject it. She's a special-needs kitty, so this make it all the more meaningful for me. It is so hard not to get emotionally attached to my adopters and the meezers. I am also helping transport two little boys to their furever homes tomorrow.

I am happy that I can help kitties but also saddened that there are SO MANY kitties needing a home! And this is only one rescue, saving only Siamese cats. There are many other cats, dogs, bunnies, ferrets, and a ton of other animals who desperately want to love and be loved.

Saving the world one kitty at a time.

Fraud

2008-10-22T20:37:00.003-04:00

My new name for Cara is Fraud. She tricked us into adopting her.

Good Belly

2008-10-20T10:46:00.002-04:00

I hate most dairy. The mere thought of milk makes me gag. I try to avoid buying milk so I don't have to touch the container and risk getting any milk cooties on my hands.

Walking through Wegmans yesterday, there were a few tasting tables set up. One of them was for Good Belly. The lady invited me to try a probiotic drink. I cautiously approached her, still uncommitted to actually standing in front of her display. She quickly chirps about what it is, sensing my skepticism. She said 'dairy-free' and my face relaxed with relief. I moved closer so she could tell me more about it. I tried and subsequently purchased the blueberry flavor.

QE thought the whole exchange was hilarious because it was obvious I was ready to run if she said yogurt, milk, or dairy. Once the lovely lady promised me no dairy was in sight, we were BFFs.

Heroes

2008-10-19T17:15:00.002-04:00

Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama. Wow. Powell is one of my heroes. He has integrity, ethics, and strong values; qualities not often exemplified, especially in public figures. I respect the man for his hard work and honesty. It will be interesting to see if this endorsement will sway or affect other Republicans.

I know one person who will remain unchanged. She is a down-home redneck racist who refuses to support Obama despite being a democrat because she "just can't". She can't bring herself to let "that one" become president because he is a secret Muslim terrorist out to inflict evil on our country. The scary part is that she is totally serious. I work with not one, but two people who openly express these views. What's laughable is that they will tell ME of all people about their biases.

Just a few weeks ago, this same woman told me how she was horrified to see two middle school boys walking with her granddaughter after school. One of the boys had his arms around the girl. Long story short, she wasn't mad that the boys were hanging off her granddaughter or that one said "she's my bitch". It was because the boys were black and she was aghast at what the neighbors might think.

My Ra

2008-10-16T16:04:00.002-04:00

QE calls our youngest Caranator (like Terminator) since she leaves a path of violence and destruction. Apparently many cats get returned, even YEARS later. I still wonder if we're doing the right thing by keeping our little RaRa.

There's something about her that is so darn cute! We tend to forgive her antics because the sweet moments are so precious, it makes everything worthwhile. The way she grabs for treats, the way she looks around while laying flat on her back, the way she answers "noooo" when asked if she loves mommy.

I guess I equate our relationship with the cats to marriage. Well, theoretically anyway. We chose to create this relationship, so it only seems right to honor our commitment and endure "for better or for worse". There are a few instances where a divorce is necessary, like abuse or illegal activities, but there's nothing equivalent in the animal world. Those things don't spontaneously develop, so I wonder whether both parties entered the marriage with sound mind and judgment. Given the divorce rate, I have to think that most are for convenience. Being too young when married, growing apart, or just falling out of love are lame excuses. That is plain lack of effort, poor decision making, or a third party. Given the commonality of divorce, it's no surprise that disposing of animals doesn't even register to many people. Easy come, easy go. We can now dump off unwanted children at a hospital with no questions asked!

Cara seems content most of the time. I don't think the rescue tricked us into adopting her. I chose her. Her adoption photo was a bad-ass rebel cat--she's sitting behind a bookcase with a scowl on her face. Sigh...if only I didn't think it was cute or funny. But I did. And now I pay the price for it. Every. Single. Day. I keep waiting for that one day when Cara realizes she enjoys being loved and is glad to be sharing her life with us.

I have fallen for a handsome young fellow. His hindleg was recently amputated. He is a lovebug but we can't take him in because we already live in a war zone. Thanks a lot, CARA!

Yesh

2008-10-02T16:27:00.003-04:00

Mooch has the right philosophy on life--focus on the good things, keep your perspective, and everything will be fine. I left work a little after noon today and it was awesome. It was just nice to be away from Azkaban.

So much going on. Made some good changes in my life. A cleansing of sorts, I think. I am getting way too attached to the meezers. Not sure if that's a good idea. It's probably not healthy for me to be so emotionally involved.

I can't decide if my kitties are killers. I bought them a rabbit fur toy. It had feathers on one end so I don't have to actually touch the fur. Cara and Davis both showed interest in it but have not "killed" it yet. Does that mean they are compassionate? They've lost their predator edge?

She would never admit it, but Cara loves me. She will scurry from wherever she is to greet me. She waits for me to take her collar at night and give her a neck scratch. Cara purred for me once. Oh, what a treat!

Piglet will be here in a bit over a month! I keep seeing workbooks and have the urge to buy some for him until I remember he's not even one yet. Ooops.

Driving home today, school buses were dropping off children. No big deal, except that there were parents waiting at the bus stops for the kids!! The bus deposits children right out side the various apartment complexes in broad daylight. Was it necessary for an adult to be there waiting? Very cool though. It's a foreign concept to me since my SAHM never did that with me. Even on my first day of kindergarten, I walked to the bus stop alone. She waved at me from our balcony. When we moved, I walked to school alone beginning in first grade. Mom was rarely awake in the mornings when I left for school. Never means none--rarely means maybe a handful of times from kindergarten through high school. Heck, there were times when AM kindergarten was canceled because of snow and I was at the bus stop. The big kids had to tell me I didn't have school and to go home. So given my experiences, it's very weird for me to see parents waiting at a bus stop for their tater tots.

Hallmark Holiday

2008-10-01T10:46:00.002-04:00

On behalf of all the animals in the world, Happy World Vegetarian Day!

Ellen was at some event and Proposition 2 came up. She said something like "I know lots of stupid people and we don't kill them!"

Eden

2008-09-22T11:10:00.000-04:00

Your result for Reincarnation Placement Exam...

Garden of Eden

34% Intrigue, 29% Civilization, 47% Humanity, 15% Urbanization.

It's the Garden of Eden for you!

Well, this is about as cozy and simple as life can get. We hope you like it here. The real estate is not well developed, but the garden is top-flight.

Your answers indicate that you basically want to just coast through life. You don't want any trouble, and you don't want any special privileges either. That's fine with us. It's entirely possible to live a pleasant life without trouble or strife, and Eden is the perfect spot for it, as long as you don't... well...

Just try to behave better than the previous tenants. Evictions can be rough.

Take Reincarnation Placement Exam at HelloQuizzy

The Good Life

2008-09-19T19:31:00.004-04:00

Aside from the message, everyone can now see what I've seen in-person--cheepy chicks, furry piggies, cows coming when called! Very cool. Maybe the moo-moos can tutor my kitties.

We got mutant eggs with our CSA share this week. We are officially overloaded with eggs now. Not to mention I am picking up another (ahem!) dozen this week. And we still have (cough!) dozen in the fridge. Quiche anyone?

Having been separated from QE for a week, it's really cool to know that I can be independent. Oddly, the kitties don't miss him. At all. Kinda freaks me out, actually.

I have been semi-vegetarian for over a year now. Ate meat at two weddings (talk about crappy food!) Had sushi for dad's bday, did that weekend flesh binge in May. I think that was it. This year I want to be 100% vegetarian, so I need to be more conscious of how cheeses are made. I've found a few vegetarian/vegan groups in Ravelry. It's nice to have the support and know I'm not the only one who fields rude comments and questions. Now that I think about it, I think my entire day has been vegan, without even trying! Amy's breakfast burrito, grilled veggie sandwich, pasta with CSA veggies.

A Drink to Our Health

2008-09-16T14:12:00.002-04:00

The first large study of humans exposed to a chemical widely used in everyday plastics has found that people with higher levels of bisphenol A had higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and liver abnormalities.

Despite more than 100 studies by government-funded scientists and university laboratories that have linked BPA exposure to health effects in animals, the FDA has deemed it safe, largely on the basis of two studies funded by the chemical industry.

BPA is ubiquitous in modern life; it is used to give polycarbonate plastic its shatterproof quality and found in everything from water bottles to dental sealants to the linings of canned food and drinks. The chemical can leach into food and liquid; one recent federal study detected BPA in the urine of 93 percent of the population.

Full article here.

It's Back!!

2008-09-07T14:20:00.003-04:00

Our little hook tail is back! Cara spent much of yesterday sleeping and appears to be doing much better today. Her tail resumed its perky position with a curved tip. :) She seems to have little interest in bugging her siblings and both don't seem to view her as threatening. Hopefully Cara has learned her lesson, but we are doubtful. My little baby is sleeping right now with the most angelic face. Who knew a cute face could shield such a fierce and stubborn little girl inside.

I've had doubts in the past few years about whether opting out of a child was the right decision. After adopting Cara, I think we definitely made the right choice. She has given us enough taste of parenthood to know it's not for us. The heartache, the worries, the discipline. And to know that how we behave and treat the kid can impact his/her life is just too much pressure. Stubborn Cara can't be molded or influenced the way a human child can. I still want a human baby, I just don't think I'm up for dealing with a child.

Wounded Victim?

2008-09-05T13:48:00.003-04:00

Where do I even begin...I think I get at least one Good Mom Point for being so observant and in tune with my kitties. QE was convinced that Cara was fine last night. I knew something was off but I didn't know what. This morning, I found Cara with a sad tail. Our baby always has a happy perky tail pointing straight up when she sees me. Something with definitely wrong with my little baby. Turns out her tail got bitten. We think it was Davis. The vet's office says that facial wounds mean the cat was the aggressor; tail wounds mean she was trying to run away and thus the victim. Cara is never a victim of anything other that evil mom's belly nuzzles. We were sent on our way with antibiotics and a bill equivalent to a Knit Happens sale. (It's a good thing I skipped the sale, eh?!) The staff advised to wait until Cara is "less mad" before administering the antibiotics. WTH I cautiously asked if she bit anyone. Everyone eyed me carefully before saying no, but she was very angry at everyone. Oh dear. I swear our file is a-la-Elaine from Seinfeld. "Crazy mom convinced her cats hate each other. Gets separation anxiety when she has to drop them off. A total pill. The newest cat is a demon."

8 PM hour: ok, I can't start the weekend on such heartbreaking thoughts (for me at least). Poor Cara ate some food about four hours ago and has been hiding/sleeping since. I didn't even bother with the canned food drama--everyone got all kibble tonight. It just breaks my heart to see my baby in pain. This totally sucks. See, one more good reason why I just cannot have human children--I would probably be one of those psycho moms who freaks at her child's papercut. (Side story: someone brought their daughter into work a few weeks ago, maybe age 8ish. She lost her two adult front teeth bc another girl pushed her. Without thinking, I asked if she pushed the girl back. Her mom bugged her eyes at me. Ooops!)

This boy was a sweetie. He drooled when I petted him.

This little girl cried every time I paid attention to someone else.

This little fellow was simply hilarious. He and his brother were so tiny it was unreal. The camera really does add five pounds. :)

B-I-N-G-O

2008-09-04T09:00:00.002-04:00

This is so funny I can't decide if it's offensive. I hit bingo four times. Without the stork.

Special

2008-09-01T08:40:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Princess Angel!

Meow Mix

2008-08-29T14:53:00.003-04:00

2 cases quality food: $66
prescription canned and kibbles: $64
food critics complaining at every meal: priceless

I know there are lurkers who would never pay that much for food. I pity your cats/dogs for being stuck with you.

Slave Girl

2008-08-23T17:43:00.003-04:00

MY PIGLET IS COMING!!!

2008-08-19T08:00:00.002-04:00

My little piglet will be celebrating his first birthday with me! Ok, with us. :) If I recall correctly, kids that age can stand on their own and like to gnaw on stuff. At least that's what I remember with pnut...assuming that was when she was 1. I have to start planning his party!!!

Today started out pretty awesome already but this news makes it super. I pre-ordered Volume 2 of Goo Goo Dolls' greatest hits on their website and I got an autographed lithograph! WOOOOOT! I received it last night and thought they made a mistake. Got an email this morning confirming I was one of the lucky fans to get my lith signed. I bet my email address got their attention. :) Will post a pic of it soon.

Clipped Wings

2008-08-17T19:21:00.003-04:00

I love my new Civic but it does not have the same performance as my tC. Sure it's quieter and smoother but acceleration with A/C on is...like driving a Hyundai or Corolla--at least what I think it must be like since I've never driven either. Without A/C the Civic can hold its own. On the plus side, I can go further even with a smaller gas tank. Maybe that's because I know it has no performance so I haven't even bothered gunning the engine. I sort of miss my tC. I've never seen a car seat or children in a tC so it definitely has more of a cool factor going for it. At least my Civic is a coupe and not a sedan. Now if only I could drop an Accord engine into it...

Heritage Lost? Really?!

2008-08-15T11:03:00.001-04:00

The spectacle begins, and a flurry of feathers flashes as the birds engage in a furious, fatal dance. Men try to revive the faltering roosters by sucking from their beaks the blood pooled in their lungs. Some wounded birds continue to drag themselves around the pit until, finally, with a mortal stab, the bird dies. The limp body is carried to the trash.

Washington Post article

CSA Week 10

2008-08-15T08:29:00.001-04:00

Sweet peppers
PURPLE string beans!
potatoes
beets
rosemary
grape tomatoes
yellow squash
tomatoes
sugar pears
red-eye black-eyed peas

My Precious Eggs

2008-08-14T19:49:00.003-04:00

I got a free book, Holy Cows and Hog Heaven, for my first buying club order from Polyface last time. It was published several years ago so things may have changed, but Farmer Salatin said that organic eggs follow different procedures than the industry. Instead of sell-by dates from the day of laying, organic eggs had sell-by dates based on the packing date. Why? Because the processors did not have a consistent supply. Nothing like paying $4 for a dozen of old eggs.

Praying for Time

2008-08-12T13:20:00.003-04:00

Listening to George. My heart is racing. I saw him. So close. omg...it's like being there all over again. eeeeeeee Faith just came on. He danced just like in the video! sigh...

Week 8.75

2008-08-08T08:40:00.003-04:00

It's funny that QE and I are now at a loss for meals when we don't have CSA shares to use. Last week was an off week and we've been kinda drifting along until yesterday.

Okra
Brandywine tomato
Beefsteak tomato
Eggplants
Sugar pears (so cute and tiny!)
Basil
Grape tomatoes
Sweet peppers
Carrots
Beets
Green beans

My dad is looking forward to eggs on Wednesday. He called to confirm I was delivering them to his house. :)

Vote for Queen Liz!

2008-08-05T10:27:00.002-04:00

Liz Lovely got nominated in a few categories...would love if you supported them. Best part is that VegNews is giving away WEEKLY cookie baskets from Liz! Oh, there are other prizes too, but I would prefer Liz cookies. :)

She Monkey

2008-08-03T14:56:00.003-04:00

Soul Free

2008-08-01T08:39:00.004-04:00

My monkey seems a bit scrawny. He was a PITA to knit using dpns but it was probably more tolerable than seaming per the pattern. I think I am willing to make one more, maybe with him wearing pants.

Surprisingly, I haven't been knitting as much as I want to this week. These old bones need longer to recover from a concert now. My voice is back but my belly still hurts. We visited my mom at work to show her my gorgeous concert tee and she goes "is that your Goo Goo?" No ma, it's George! Don't you recognize George? "What?! I thought you were over him in high school! Definitely in college! Oh dear..."
There was a review of George's concert in yesterday's paper. They mentioned his last concert in the US was 17 years ago. I was there. Seven.teen years ago. Ouch. QE and I (ok, mostly me) are still re-living the concert. Oh so awesome. Sigh...oh George.

I accidentally gave up info about 1986. QE was hysterical.

Feeling Good

2008-07-30T13:28:00.007-04:00

George Michael is simply amazing. Last night's performance exceeded all expectations. Last night was the most special and memorable event in my life, second only to my wedding day. It started with the restaurant for our pre-concert dinner playing Listen Without Prejudice. Coincidence? QE encouraged me to buy way more concert swag than I ever would have if he wasn't there. He was no angel, egging me at every opportunity though. I made the mistake of sharing obscure George trivia with him and said "back in '88" at dinner. I don't think I'll ever live that down.

My throat is sore, voice hoarse. My legs are tired, my abs sore. QE dubbed me the human shrill because I screamed when nobody else did, screamed every time George did a signature dance move, screamed because he smiled, screamed when he spoke. OMG...George dances like he always has--not good by dancing standards but we love him unconditionally. George still has a great smile. Love the accent, love the dimples. He's so beautiful and comfortable in his own skin. He's got a great sense of humor too. He wore the cop outfit for Outside. I loved it.

As you can see from my photos, we had awesome seats. No photo manipulation there (not sure how to do it--ha!) We were exactly at the center of the stage. George took a drink and mopped his face after every song. He kept his jacket on the entire time and sweat actually soaked through. Crazy. I was drenched in sweat before the first song even finished. The collar on my shirt was still soaked two hours after the concert ended. Best time ever.

George performed some of my favorites that I wasn't expecting. Hard Day was awesome. One More Try was pretty much the anthem of my adolescence. My senior yearbook quote was from Kissing a Fool. George seemed to get a kick out of us true fans knowing every pause, every inflection, every nuance of his songs. What's funny is that George doesn't care about performing. He sees himself as a songwriter. He wants us to enjoy his songs long after he's gone. George has certainly touched my life. All of his songs bring back memories of my past, my history. George was a huge part of my life growing up. His music touched me, affected me, helped shape me. I played One More Try so much growing up my MOM knew the words. The kids I babysat in middle school looked for George videos on MTV--at age 2 and 4. I don't remember much of the music mix we compiled for our wedding and most of it didn't get played, I don't think. But Freedom 90 was blasted after most of our guests left. That's one of the few memories I have of our reception. We have an awesome photo of me and QE dancing to that song.

Last night was worth every dollar I spent for the concert and associated expenses. QE might beg to differ though. But if George never performs again, I would still be happy to have experienced such a perfect 'goodbye tour'. I've always been open about George being the #1 man in my life (til I met QE). All the stupid boys I wasted time with knew that. Tolerating George Michael music and accepting that I was a big George fan was part of the deal. I could go on forever but if you've read this far, you've probably experienced enough pain for a week.
George Michael Forever.

Set list according to GeorgeMichael.com:

First Half

Waiting (Reprise)
Fast Love/I'm Your Man
Father Figure
Hard Day
Everything She Wants
One More Try
Different Corner--he did NOT perform this! My favorite of all time!
Easier Affair
Too Funky
Star People

Interval
John & Elvis video

Second Half

Faith
Spinning The Wheel
Feeling Good
Roxanne
Kissing A Fool
Amazing
Flawless
Outside

Encore #1--Careless Whisper

Encore #2--Freedom 90, Freedom Reprise

CSA Share, Week 7.5

2008-07-25T08:50:00.002-04:00

Well, our veggie bin is packed. Still haven't eaten the beans from last week. QE brought home a HUGE haul of green and yellow squash from some guy's garden too. He was giving it away at work and someone told him we were vegetarians so we got a big bag full of them. What I don't understand is why people bother growing so many of anything if they give it away. They are sooo pretty. And big. Anyway, the squash will continue to be eaten or we may re-gift some to my folks. We also still have half a head of red cabbage. This week's share represented one and half shares since the farm had to skip a week in May and next week is a bye week. We'll get another extra half share the week before our next bye week.

8 ears of corn (used in summer corn chowder last night--YUM)
Yukon gold potatoes (just perfect)
one baby watermelon (so cute!!!)
one cantaloupe
beefsteak tomatoes
2 tiny eggplants (adorable!)
Cubanelle peppers (WTH?!)
basil
red grape tomatoes
slicing tomatoes

12 sides of me

2008-07-24T13:59:00.004-04:00

Learned about this from LaundryTown

1. My first name.
2. My favorite style of food.
3. My high school.
4. My favorite color.
5. My celebrity crush.
6. Favorite drink.
7. Dream vacation.
8. Favorite dessert.
9. What I want to be when I grow up.
10. What I love most in life.
11. One word to describe me.
12. My Grandmother’s first name.

1. You know
2. Vegetarian
3. Hayfield
4. Brown
5. Prince William
6. Espresso
7. Nice
8. Baklava
9. Not working
10. Animals
11. Feisty
12. Helen

Spoiled

2008-07-24T07:37:00.002-04:00

Oh, I got spoiled in my Ravelry swap! KnittyK (out of respect for her privacy, I won't use her full screen name in case she uses it on other sites) put together the nicest, most thoughtful package for me. I love the scarf she knitted for me. For moi!!! I would never have the patience to knit that for myself--especially with no mistakes! Then there's the blocking. I swear KnittyK sent love in her package because everything was so nice. Like good karma nice. The purty brown/red yarn is Malabrigo--another popular yarn that gets people all worked up but I had no idea why. And the red yarn she dyed herself. It is a very rich red. So awesome. She says I should knit something for piglet with it. A shout out to my piglet! It's amazing how a "stranger" can be so nice to another human being. There's the possibility that participants can get screwed over in a swap, so to be openly nice without getting something in return is just darn warm and fuzzy.

120 eggs

2008-07-23T13:11:00.002-04:00

OH.YEAH I ordered 10 dozen eggs from Polyface. I am so excited I am ready to jump out of my skin. :) I haven't decided if it's worth going into work after the pick up but if I do, I will have to make arrangements with Grandpa Goo to care for my little beauties. My dad will have to run a nursery day care for my little eggs! (you can ignore my craziness) He'll get to keep however many he wants as a babysitting fee. I could take them home and then drive to work but that's backtracking and NOT earth-friendly. Dad passed on officially ordering eggs or meat since he "just bought a dozen eggs for $3. They are the nice ones that come in the special boxes." Oy. "Besides, your eggs were rather small last time [they were medium eggs, DAD!!!!] Although, they did have a much yellower yolk." I tried to explain to him that the yellowness comes from hens who eat real grass and peck at real dirt and bugs. He's convinced that his eggs are just as good, coming from hens with freedom to roam. Someday, dad.

It recently occurred to me that our kitties are innocent victims of us being vegetarian. They don't get to mooch bits of meat from our meals anymore.

"My" Men

2008-07-21T20:22:00.004-04:00

Tony Gonzalez, tight end for the KC Chiefs went vegan. I don't think he stuck with it for various reasons, but the fact that he tried makes him one sexy athlete. It's admirable a muscular NFL athlete even bothered with it. The teasing he endured, the scrutiny from trainers...it takes a real man to adopt a "sissy hippy" diet, even if temporary. I need to do more research to see if he is still vegan.

Those who know me probably know my source.

When industrial food magnates hire the best clever-speak grads, things may not be what they seem. In May 2007 Tyson received praise from foodies and launched a $70 million ad campaign touting its antibiotic-free chicken. Sounded like real progress for our side . . . NOT.

What the label actually said was "Raised Without Antibiotics." Under pressure from chicken competitors Perdue and Sanderson Farms, the USDA told Tyson in June 2008 it couldn't use the label anymore. Tyson was injecting the embryos before hatching with antibiotics, thus claiming the birds were "raised" without antibiotics.

Tyson has now sued the USDA for "arbitrarily and capriciously" calling its hand, arguing that "raised" means post-hatching, not pre-hatching. Tyson says the embryo is not part of the "raising" process. USDA says it is. Interesting ramifications. Does"raising" a child include pre-natal care? And if so, when does life begin? "Oh what a clever web we weave . . . ."

Veggie Tails

2008-07-18T08:24:00.002-04:00

Davis and Angel decided to join us for dinner last night. Cara was still in her room, so the amigos had a blast just lounging around. This week's share:

sweet corn--much yummier than last week. QE found a worm though. Gross.
red cabbage--how the heck do I prepare it???
celebrity tomatoes
beefsteak tomato (they all looked the same to me)
yellow (wax?) beans
basil
red grape tomatoes

It's so weird to see veggies in their true state. Unwaxed cucumbers, corn tips eaten off, blemished tomatoes, spotty green beans. The flavors are so much more intense though. I need to hug our farmers.

Organic Supermarket Droupout

2008-07-15T12:16:00.003-04:00

Salatin needs to quit the name calling! QE and I agreed that their eggs are a great value and I will be hoarding next time. I will have to take time off from work but it will be worth it.

Gettin Piggy With It

2008-07-13T14:38:00.002-04:00

Blech. I bought bacon from Polyface a few weeks ago for QE. He decided to cook some up this morning. Oh.vomit. The stench of swine was so nasty I dry heaved. I don't care if QE or anyone eats piggies but the smell of pig cooking just stinks. Bacon, of all things, is supposed to smell nice. QE reports that although bacon is cured, it doesn't have the smoke flavor as store-bought stuff. He said it tasted as good, if not better, than the regular stuff. QE thought it was too salty but attributed to him not being a regular bacon eater. Even turkey bacon is a rare thing for him. He decided he will give away the rest of the bacon. I am glad. From this point forward I think our house will be a pig-free zone. Cooked pork is fine. I just can't stand the smell of it cooking.

Got my Wollmeise yesterday. Oh so pretty and soft. It smelled nice too. I still don't understand why it's so treasured. Maybe I have to knit it to appreciate it. (secret: I have another on the way!) I resumed work on my monkey. The head was too big for a project, so I decided to make the full doll. He's cute. Lots of seaming involved despite using dpns. Totally not enjoying making the hat for charity. The acrylic/nylon blend is splitty but soft. Maybe it's the pattern I hate. So freakin boring and dull. I am knitting it flat since that monkey's dpn work had me on dpn overload. At this rate, I really don't want to knit more than one hat. But it's for people in need, so I will try to squeeze a few more out. I might knit double-strand next time to make it go faster.

Summertime

2008-07-10T20:45:00.003-04:00

(it's the new NKOTB song, btw...)

It's officially summer. The first REAL summer I've experienced in years. WE GOT TOMATOES!!! The last time I ate a raw tomato was years ago when I grew them myself.

Tonight's dinner was veggie patties with a tomato and fresh corn. Dessert was cantaloupe with blueberries from Wegmans.

CSA share for the week:

yukon gold potatoes
corn
cucumbers
carrots
green beans
cantaloupe
green leaf lettuce
sweet (and purple!) peppers
grape tomatoes
slicing tomatoes
tiny garlic

Wollmeise!

2008-07-10T11:55:00.004-04:00

Wollmeise is a cult-favorite sock yarn hand-painted by "Claudia" in Germany. People go nuts for it. I don't understand it, but have accepted it. Til now. Just managed to score some. Totally not going to get gifted to anyone nor made into something for anyone other than moi. Might just have to charge a fee for the privilege of seeing it, and a surcharge to touch it. :) Hm. Maybe I should join the Selfish Knitters group on Ravelry. (The premise is that they feel unappreciated for their work so they knit for themselves or those who feel the knitting lub.) Although, I feel the love quite often. Probably because I only knit and gift knits to people I know appreciate it. WOLLMEISE!!!

Here are the birdies I made:

Arf! Arf!

2008-07-09T07:51:00.002-04:00

I got my books a few nights ago. I can't wait to make this doggie. I have some boring obligations to get out of the way first (charity knits) and then I'll start on my puppy. I haven't decided on colors or yarn yet, but I'm definitely going to make one for myself. Maybe in pink cotton angora.

Interesting (0)

2008-07-06T08:18:00.003-04:00

My cats are killing me. Two days at home and I am a sneezing, snotty mess. We spent most of the day out yesterday and I was fine. A few hours at home and the suffering resumes. Two of the stinkybutts refuse to get brushed, so that doesn't help my condition. Not that they care. We got hairballs four days in a row last week. Barf count: Angel-2, Davis-1, Cara-1

Went to Wegmans twice yesterday. The guy at the coffee bar area recognized and remembered us too. How embarrassing!

Ravelry is taking over my life. I dream about it every night. I can see the website images in my mind. Last night, it was about my budget swap and whether my spoilee will like my package. Conversations with QE begin with "On Ravelry..."

Nummy

2008-07-02T09:51:00.003-04:00

I placed an order yesterday. Knitting books. It's not my fault. I had to order enough for free shipping. And some were books I always wanted. Plus, they were 40% off! Besides the books are so I can make cute things for other people! I need to start thinking about Christmas gifts. And birthdays! Piglet turns 1 in November. I need to plan and prepare!

Swap

2008-06-30T11:17:00.002-04:00

Kinda funny sounding word, eh? My group's swap is underway. I'm excited about the thought of getting a package filled with goodies, but not as stoked as I thought I would be. Maybe it's because some have a "gimme...I want..." mentality that's turning me off. For me it's more about the unknown. Plus, I'm too preoccupied with my package to my spoilee. :) The options are endless and $20 budget is so limiting. I already know I will go over, the question is how much.

Anyway, I'm excited. Buying loot for others is just as fun. Buying her yarn will be difficult (no, I'm not telling why!!!) Not being creative, I'm having some difficulty coming up with other stuff for her box. Well, at least given the dollar-limit.

I am very excited about the coupon/yarn swap I'm in too. Coupons! I put in a request for Zyrtec. Ha!

Summer knitting:
spoilee
charity hat(s)
a monkey or two or five
maybe another sweater for piglet

Cat Caste

2008-06-27T21:34:00.003-04:00

Me: How many humans does it take to keep Angel and Davis happy?
QE: We haven't found out yet.
Me: Is having cats worth it?
QE: YEAH! They love us.

Beautifully Imperfect

2008-06-27T11:54:00.004-04:00

Just signed up for the fall CSA. Here's what we're projected to get:

acorn squash, apples, arugula, beans, bok choi, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, garlic greens, head and loose leaf lettuces, herbs, leafy greens, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, tatsoi, winter squash

I can't wait to plan our Thanksgiving meal around the goodies! I never thought it possible to actually love vegetables: to admire their beauty, adore each bump, appreciate every crinkly leaf. My only complaint so far is that we didn't get enough garlic with last week's share. After price-checking each haul with the stores, I think we got a great deal. Sure we might not have ever chosen to buy turnip or cabbage, but we're expanding our veggie horizons. Imagine, a vegetarian actually eating vegetables! (QE isn't a full vegetarian--he goes on fish benders. I should send him to rehab. HA!)

Foxy Foxy!

2008-06-27T09:12:00.002-04:00

QE saw a fox in our backyard the other morning. I got there in time only to see our visitor scampering away. He wasn't as orange as I expected. Big tail. QE says we like foxes because they eat rodents. Poor mousies! I hope the fox didn't find the bunny nest in our yard. One night a week or so ago, I saw a prairie dog (ok, probably a groundhog or gopher) sitting right by the curb on our street.